Zidane Move Hangs On Image Deal
Wednesday 16th May 2001
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has hinted that he will try to bring Zinedine Zidane to the Bernabeu this summer, if he can persuade the France skipper to sign across his image rights.
"Players from outside Spain who come to Real Madrid must be the best in the world - and Zidane falls into that category," he said.
Perez hopes Zidane, in tandem with last summer's �37 million midfield signing Luis Figo, can help Real win the European Cup back and tighten his side's grip on the domestic game.
But the cash-strapped Spaniards are not in a position to offer Juventus a massive fee and are expected to tempt the Italians with �10 million plus full-back Michel Salgado and French midfielder Claude Makelele.
Zidane would also have to give Real complete control of his "image", meaning the club could recoup a large portion of their outlay on him and his �100,000-a-week wages in merchandise sales and internet rights.
Real representatives Enrique PZrez and JosZ Luis del Valle are reported to have met Zidane's agent in Marseille on Tuesday with a proposal, but returned home disappointed.
World Cup and European Championship winner Zidane has long been linked with a move to La Liga. His wife Veronique is Spanish and has complained about life in Turin.
In addition, Juve look likely to miss out on the Scudetto for the third successive season and Zidane, whose performances were criticised earlier in the season, is understood to prefer a new challenge.
